Kingdom Hearts III
by rutger5000
Summary: Just like the title says. I'm trying to make a storyline like the actual game with traveling through the univers and stuff. Main Ships SoraXKairi RikuXKairi.
1. prologue

The memory of a life.

The lose of love, the lose of hate.

The lose of everything.

I want something, but I can't feel what I miss.

I want to miss, I want to feel.

XXX

Prologue: those who remain.

Thousands of heartless were swarming over the Castle That Never Was. Yet it seemed so empty when the wicked laugh echoed through its walls. The evil witch rose from her fall. She had felt her powers had faded when Kingdom Hearts was closed again. But her powers were not the only ones that had diminished, in fact hers were the only ones left standing. The heartless had stopped attacking her, they obeyed the strongest. And with all of the organizations members slain she had just become that. Just like she had planned to.

But the summoning of a portal right in front proved not everything went according to her plan. If she had a heart it would have missed a beat in shock, and after that raise in terror. A hooded figure came out of the portal, wearing a black coat. Her thoughts raced at top speed. _"It couldn't be they all had been eliminated, the organization had lost all its members."_

Relieve came momentarily over her when the figure spoke. The black coat had fooled her but she knew the voice didn't belong to the organization. "You look surprised to see me. Yet it was you who lead me to the path of darkness."

It took a while before Malificent understood the meaning of the words. Then she smiled and used that strange sweet somehow mocking voice she had. "I didn't show you that path, just like you didn't open my heart to it. Our pasts should be hold responsible for that."

"You don't feel responsible what you did to me?" the figure asked. Its voice betrayed its young age.

"My dear boy we don't feel anything do we?" she smiled wickedly.

The boys head lowered in defeat. "Indeed and that's just the problem." He humiliated himself even more by kneeling before her. "It looks like that big idiot has transformed in a heartless. I doubt he makes a powerful nobody like you and I."

Malificent had hoped she her secret was better kept. After all she had fooled anyone who knew of her. Even King Mickey had believed she still had her heart. But of course this person shared the memory of he who had turned her into a heartless. And however she was displeased by the revealing of her secret, the boy offering his service to her made up for it. "You are offering me your alliance." She smiled wickedly, colder she added. "Why should I accept them?"

"Our others both welcomed the power of darkness, both for different reason. But those reasons don't matter do they? What matter is we faced the darkness and embraced it no matter how consequences would affect us. Only Xeanorth could match that kind of willpower." The boy stated.

"That doesn't answer my question." Malificent didn't like it to be the one who needed to be informed.

"Doesn't it?" the boy returned curiously. He saw she still didn't understand so he elaborated. "We're the last powerful nobodies. Our strengths are equal to each other. If we wouldn't work together we would be enemies. The remains of organization XIII powers would be shattered and at war with each other. As enemies we don't have much chance to realize our wishes."

The truth of the words shocked the witch. But she didn't wanted an alliance based on an equal relation. "I do not wish to share Kingdom Hearts." She sneered while she gathered her powers to fight the boy.

Disapproving of her ignorance the boy shook his head. "My wishes do not involve Kingdom Hearts. Only some old research of a wise now gone man. And I need your help to put them to work."

A/N: I'm thinking of doing the entire story of Kingdom hearts III. A journey through the entire Disney universe just like the game does. So the main characters are going to be the same as the one in the games. Rated T because well I'm not really sure I why I rated it T. just see it as K+ unless I give a warning at the beginning of a chapter. I think I could give a reasonable attempt to it. 

I think everyone know who that hooded figure is. But I don't feel like revealing his identity so early in the story. I feel a bit guilty about giving him an OC (although I believe he should exist, following the laws about heartless, and nobobies.) such a big role. But on the other hand KH always has been a game to introduce new villains. Organization came out of nowhere, and why Maleficent was hooked up with Pete is a mystery to me. So I don't think it would be raping the story to give my OC a big role.

I've already posted the first seven chapters more then a year ago (it might be two years). Somehow I felt like continuing it. First I'm going to redo all chapters, and latter I might finish the story.

Just like a starting note I wanted to add. I always review everything I read. Every chapter of every story. (except when there are many short chapter in a story). And I always feel it's really rude not to. It isn't any trouble at all to say what you thought about the chapter. Just saying if you liked it or not is a great gift for any writer. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Home is where the heart is

It was unfair, they had earned a happy return to their home. And it had been happy because they were reunited again. But when everybody had been hugged and they had celebrated their reunion, Sora had gone home to see his parents, only to find his home cold and empty.

After searching the house from top to bottom several times, he noticed a small letter sitting alone on top of the dining room table.

_Dear Sora._

_We're so sorry, more sorry than you can ever imagine. We forgot about you; our own son. For almost two years you were gone and we didn't even miss__ noticed. The moment you disappeared from home, you disappeared from our memories and our hearts. What kind of parents are we if we don't even remember our own child? Shame is all we felt when we suddenly remembered you again. So much shame that we don't dare to face you. We've decided to leave you. We believe it is for the best. Please find the kindness in your warm heart to forgive us since we cannot forgive ourselves._

_Much love, _

_Your mom and dad._

_P.S. The house is yours._

Warm tears ran down Sora's cheeks after reading the sorrowful letter. Despite his efforts, he couldn't suppress the streams of salty water. Of course his parents didn't remember him while he was gone. During his first adventure his parents were swallowed in the darkness along the rest of Destiny Island. They had been unconscious then. And though he couldn't remember his adventures in Castle Oblivion, he knew that he was erased from everybody's memory. But his parents didn't know that, and even if they did they probably wouldn't understand it. After a while, there were no more visible tears to cry. Yet, his heart still cried in silence.

His sorrow didn't come from his parent's rejection alone. In fact, during the time he had been away from the island, he had hardly missed them himself. He understood his parent's shame for forgetting about him because he felt the exact same shame. What really hurt was the stain of his return. It wasn't perfect anymore. It was unlike the perfect happy ending of his adventures he had dreamt of so many times. It was unfair. He had fought so hard for that happy return, and now loss had stained it.

He remained still when he heard the doorbell ring. _His _doorbell ring. He didn't say a word; he knew it was only Riku. Like old times, Riku took the liberty to open the door and enter the home on his own.

Sora looked up when he entered. Riku's face was sad too. The friends looked at each other for a moment, Riku was the first to speak. "What's your excuse for the long face?"

"My parents have left and probably won't return." Sora cursed himself for choking on his tears when he said it.

"So, you're a big mamma's boy after all?" Riku commented quietly on his friends tears giving him a small smile.

Sora shrugged "It's more like home isn't home any more. You get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, things have changed quite a bit."

Sora looked at Riku curiously. Despite his own sorrow, he was somewhat worried when he heard the bitter tone in his friend's voice.

"Aren't things normal at your place?" He asked after a moment.

Riku turned his face to the ground but his voice remained normal.

"Turns out my parents left a year ago, they went looking for me."

Sora was about to comfort him when Riku continued. "God I feel guilty."

Just when silence seemed to fall, Kairi entered the house. "Hi Riku what are you doing here?"

"Well Sora was crying cause his mommy and daddy left him, and I was trying to make him feel worse by telling him my parents at least loved me enough to go looking for me." Riku tried to joke. His sad mood seemed to be lifted the moment Kairi walked in.

The happy face Kairi had on a minute ago completely disappeared at this comment.

"S-So...all of our parents are...gone?" She asked quietly, her voice carried more worry then pain. Yet Sora and Riku understood the meaning of the words.

"What do you mean? Have your parents gone too?" Sora asked worried.

She gave a failed attempt to a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. My parents never returned to the island after the storm. So I've been alone since I returned to the island, more then a full year ago. You kinda learn to deal with it. I'm just worried about you two."

Kairi's story shocked Sora, enough to forget his own misery for the moment. "What? But how? I thought everybody returned to their own world after I locked Kingdom Hearts!"

"That's just what happened, my parents returned to their own world. Have you forgotten me and my parents originally came from Radiant Garden?"

"But how come you're not in Radiant Garden?" Riku and Sora asked simultaneously.

Kairi smiled. "Your world is where your heart lies, and mine lies with you two."

XXX

In an enormous, floating castle illuminated by the remains of kingdom hearts a hooded figure was walking through a completely empty white room. The person seemed to be desperately searching for something.

Without any warning Malificent's frightening voice spoke from the darkness. "What are you looking for?"

"Damn it, if I had a heart you would have given me a heart attack." The figure said angrily.

Malificent chuckled but otherwise ignored the remark. "I'm fascinated with your obsession with this room."

"Yes, it seems rather pointless to investigate this room since it's obviously empty." A small disappointed tone could be heard in the figure's voice.

The remark seemed to irritate the witch. The hooded figure assumed that she found the remark to be ignorant.

"Of course this room is empty! The members of the organization never put anything in their rooms." Calm again she continued with her normal, sweet, yet very creepy voice. "And why would they? Why would they collect objects they allegedly feel connected to if they indeed cannot feel connected to anything at all?"

She continued before she gave the figure a change to answer. "But the fact that you're searching through an empty room doesn't fascinate me. I'm fascinated with the room you chose to investigate. Why this one? What's so special about the room of number eight?"

It seemed the figure was angered by the question. "Why would Axel's room be unworthy of investigating!? Do you think the other members are more interesting!?"

Malificent raised her eyebrows, surprised by the sudden anger of her interlocutor. "Well yes I do. Compared to Xemnas and Roxas, none of the other organization members are worthy of investigating."

"Ha, you still believe Xemnas and Roxas are worth investigating?" The figure said, almost laughing at the witch in her face. Even more demeaning, he continued snapping at the woman.

"Xemnas was hardly any different from any other organization member. True, he had great power, but he was certainly not interesting. He was just a fool who willingly threw his life away in a search for power. That same determination was what made his will so strong and gave him so much power."

Not giving Malificent a change to reply he continued. "Roxas was special by his ability to wield a keyblade, a weapon that chooses his master based on the strength of his heart. So a nobody, one without a heart, should never be able to wield it. It is easily explained, though. Sora's heart never resided in the realm of darkness long enough to became a real heartless and therefore he never became a real nobody. Part of his heart had still been connected to his soul and body. Because of that piece, Roxas could wield keyblades and feel emotions. He was also very important. He was needed for the reunion with Sora to make Sora's heart complete again. I know this, because my power and the way I obtained it, is little different from Roxas power and the way he obtained his."

The answers didn't surprise the witch, she didn't cared enough to be surprised by the answers. But the disrespect the figure spoke to her was what surprised and shocked her. Who did the boy think he was? Speaking to her like that. Yet she knew better then to demand respect from him. She needed his power as well as he needed hers. Instead, she chose to demean the figure by a remark.

"And what would make the flurry of dancing flames special? His powers were nothing out of the ordinary compared to the rest of the organization."

This time a more compassionated laugh came from behind the black hood. "Huh, you're still solely focused on power aren't you? How pitiful. Axel's behaviour is what made him special. Axel had sincere issues with the orders to either retrieve Roxas or to kill him. Later he even rebelled against the organization in order to separate Roxas from Sora again in attempts to see his friend one last time. In the end he even sacrificed all that was left of his existence to help Sora and give him a way back to his friend, Kairi. Such actions are only a mark of true friendship. However you can only become true friends with someone when your hearts are connected. So a nobody shouldn't be able have a real friendship."

No reply came from the witch, it was out of her understanding to be interested with something else then power. The boy saw Malificent wouldn't reply so he continued.

"Axel truly was a nobody for he was truly without a heart. Yet, he could be a true friend. The only explanation is that he had something like a heart, an imitation. But one so close to a real heart that there was almost no difference. That's what interests me. Is it possible to make an imitation of a heart.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Three friends and a paopu fruit

Countless heartless disappeared to follow the orders Malificent just gave them, at the same moment the hooded figure emerged from his portal. "You already figured out a plan?" He asked curiously.

The witch was irritated and slightly offended by the stupid question, but she chose not to express it. "My dear boy, have I ever mindlessly ordered heartless around?"

The boy lowered his head as a kind of apology. "You're right, I'm sorry for even suggesting that. But I was merely surprised you mastermind a way to achieve Kingdom Hearts in less the 2 days."

Malificent chuckled. "Once again you underestimate me. I've been masterminding this way to Kingdom Hearts, ever since Axel revealed the organizations plans in Hollow Bastion." The witch refused to call her former headquarter by it's true name.

For the figure it was obviously the witch was bragging, and mocking her for that was the only thing that made sense. "So everything that happened after that event, was according your plan." He asked sarcastically.

The sarcasm in the boy's voice could not be missed. But she knew she would have the last laugh in this matter. "Yes as a matter of fact it was. For example, did you really think Sora could have ever made it on his own to twilight town after the _World That Never Was_ took form?"

If the figure wasn't hooded you would have seen his eyebrows rise in surprise. "You are saying you cleared the way for him?"

"Of course I did. The organization never wanted Sora to reach the world that never was. True they needed him to slay heartless so they could create Kingdom Hearts. But they could have made him do that everywhere. Their home-base wasn't the ideal place. And when Sora tried to reach Twilight town, they could have easily destroyed Sora's gummiship and wait for another Keyblade hero to finish Kingdom Hearts. Sora would have been death if I hadn't destroyed most of their fleet. And then there would be no-one to exterminate the Organization, I only spared the Dreath-nought because I didn't want it to be too suspicious. "

The sarcastic tone left the figure's voice immediately and was replaced by something like respect. "I'm impressed and amazed, you've indeed thought this trough much better then anyone would have guessed."

The witch noticed the complement and apology for the earlier mocking, she accepted them both. "What about you? Do you already mastermind a way to your goal?"

"There isn't much to plan. There are many mysteries between me and my ultimate goal, and I don't have the information to solve them. However I do know where to get that information."

"And where would that be?" she asked with faked kindness.

Immediately the figure became aggressive "I have no intention of telling you that." He sneered.

Hardly surprised by the figures aggression, the witch mocked him. "My, my, aren't you distant?"

"Aren't you wicked?" the boy responded. Before the witch could react he continued. "You're evil and treacherous. Don't you forget, I perfectly can remember how you used, misguided and betrayed Riku. I've got no intentions of ever trusting you."

It was the plain truth and it could hardly anger or offend the witch. Yet she wouldn't give up so easily, any kind of trust she could win, could come on handy someday. "And why would this time be the same? I've changed, you changed. Things can be different now"

"Perhaps I've changed, but you certainly didn't. This time you don't have a heart, last time you didn't used it. There's not much difference between those two." The figure said, still carrying lots of anger in his voice.

"If you won't trust me then why did you come here for help?"

Though her voice didn't hold arrogance the words did, and it angered the figure even more. "Who do you think you're!? Suggesting me looking for help from you, I'm just as powerful as you, if not more powerful."

This time Malificent was truly taking aback, not by the tone but by the words. "Forgive me if I'm mistaken but weren't you the one who came to me for an alliance?" she sneered.

"You are mistaken. I did come to you, but I don't need your help."

The witch was already gathering dark energy ready to throw at figure if the hooded figure didn't answer her next question to her liking. "If you don't need my help, then I suppose you never wanted us to be allies?"

"Indeed. You're the last person I ever wanted to form an alliance with" Sound like thunder echoed against the walls when the ball of dark energy was released. A white flash blinded Malificent's view, and the sound of reflecting the dark energy could be briefly heard, before it was lost in the echoes o the initial attack. "Dammit you crazy witch!" the figure yelled "At least let me finish. You were wrong, because you assumed that I requested an alliance with you, because I needed you help. Indeed I offered you my alliance. But I wasn't asking for help, I was offering it."

Relaxing again the witch let her power rest, but she didn't let her anger to escape. How dared the boy suggesting she needed his help. "And why would you offer me help? Perhaps it was for the good old times we shared?" Pure evil could be heard in the tone of her voice.

The boy pretended he didn't heard the last question, he wouldn't sink so low to respond on it. "It was a peace offer. Like I said before, if we wouldn't work together we would be enemies. I don't want to be your ally, but being your enemy would be even a bigger pain."

Maniac laughter escaped from Malificent's mouth. "Were you scared of me? Am I so scarifying that you would rather stand beside me as a servant, then oppose me as an enemy?"

Sadly the figure lowered his head "I wish I was scared. If I was scared I could feel fear, and my heart would be a bit more complete."

XXX

Kairi was playing with a paopu fruit in her hands, sitting on the very tree she picked it from, waiting for her friends. It had been their second day one the island, and for Sora and Riku it had been their first day of school in two years. They were in different years so Kairi hadn't seen them during classes, and now she was very anxious to hear about their day. At least she was until she saw their faces walking over the wooden bridge. She almost never had seen Sora so frustrated, or Riku so disappointed. First she had wanted to greet them cheerfully. But she just couldn't bring herself not to be worried by the look on their faces. "What's wrong?"

Sora and Riku felt guilty by making her sound so sad. They knew her sadness was caused by theirs. Riku would have tried to lie and say everything was fine, but Sora was just too Sora-like to do so. "Everything is wrong!" the chocolate boy yelled.

Riku received a questioning and mostly worried glare from Kairi. "Yea basically it comes down to that."

Kairi's mood had always been easy influenced by her environment, she became just a sad as her friends were. "So do you care to tell me what everything is?"

"School." Was all Sora said. But when he caught Kairi's glare, he knew he wasn't going to get away with just _School_ as explanation. "Our supposed to be friends, the teacher and the classes that is what's wrong."

It hurt Kairi to hear Sora talking so depressed, but she wanted to know the bottom of it. Otherwise she couldn't help them, indeed you can't help if you don't know the problem. "So what's wrong with them?"

Seeing his friend wasn't feeling like talking, Riku reluctantly did it for him. "Well our old friends don't take it kindly of us to have disappeared without saying good-by, and then suddenly return after two years. They don't feel like being our friends anymore. The teacher think of us as dropouts, disappearing for two years for no explainable reason whatsoever. The classes, well it appears that not going to school for two years, doesn't do wonders for you math, science, languages and all other stuff you learn on school. They even are going to test if Sora isn't mentally retarded." His voice had held an unhealthy amount of agony, all of this hurt Riku as much as it hurt Sora, but there was no agony it the last part. No matter how down you were, or how you put it, Sora having to do a mentally retarded test was funny.

It didn't missed Sora's attention that Riku thought it was funny, that he had to do a mentally retarded test. And his friend mocking him was the last drop. "It just isn't fair!" Sora exploded. "I fought millions of heartless, nobodies and other monsters, I've saved several worlds, and I've even prevented the entire universe from drowning into darkness, TWO TIMES! I don't deserve to be treated like a mentally retarded punk!"

The sudden changed in her friend scarred Kairi, this wasn't like Sora at all. On the other hand he was right, he didn't deserve this. Kairi could only imagine how many times Sora had dreamed of a perfect happily-after-after, how many fight he had fought for that dream, how many times he had pulled himself together for it. It only seemed human he would burst, now when the battles had been fought, the journeys had been traveled and the pains had been felt, but the dream hadn't come true. Still, seeing Sora like this scarred her. Sora's cheerful spirit always had seemed unbreakable to her. The thought that Sora could be angry, hurt or depressed, it scarred her. "Sora…" she said as much worried as sad.

Feeling extremely guilty about Kairi worrying so much for him, Sora tried to cover it up. "Haha I'm just kidding you. I'm not that angry, it's not such a big deal." Sora said, giving his signature grin and putting his hands on the back of his neck. It could not have been clearer that he was lying.

The gloomy atmosphere of the moment was far to depressive for Riku's taste. He had promised himself that, when he would be reunited with his friends in his real body, he would enjoy every second of it. During school he had already broken that promise hundreds of times, but now he would keep it. Searching for anything that could change the subject he noticed the paopu fruit in Kairi's hand. "Kairi, what were you planning with that?"

"Owh uhmmm." Originally she had planned to celebrate their second day on the island by sharing a paopu fruit with her friends. Promising they would never be apart from each other again. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and it still did. But this wasn't really the way she had thought it should be. "Nothing really, it just kept my hands busy." She lied.

Riku would change the atmosphere by any means necessary. A paopu fruit just might do the trick. "Care to share it Kairi?" Immediately Sora's head snapped up and he gave Riku a strange. "Don't you worry goofball, I meant you too." He laughed.

The strange ideas Sora had with Riku offering to share the fruit with Kairi quickly fainted, and a wide smile appeared on his face. "That sounds great!" He had always been too cheerful to be down for long. And Riku's offer to share the paopu fruit, as a tribute to their friendship made him realize something. What did it matter his old friends abandoned him? Right here he had two friends who cared more about each other then most people ever learn to care about someone. What did it matter if his teachers thought he was a punk? He had met several of the greatest minds in the universe and they had all recognized him as a worthy hero. And what did it matter people might think he was mentally retarded because he sucked at school? He and his friends knew that he was capable of incredible complicated magic, far beyond the understanding of all of the school's teachers combined. When he thought about it all he needed to be happy was right here in front of him.

Glad she could carry out her original plan, and even more because her friends were happy again Kairi eagerly accepted the offer. "Yeah it does sound great." She broke the fruit in three equal parts and gave Sora and Riku both a piece.

While they were enjoying the fruit they made a silent promise: Nothing would be able to separate them, not now, not ever.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

In his bed a chocolate hair teenager was having stirring dreams.

They just defeated Barbosa and were celebrating next to the interceptor. But this time it wasn't Elisabeth who embraced Will, this time it he was embraced by Kairi.

Santa Clause caused snow to fall in the Halloween town, and their hearts were relieved by the fact, that Christmas was saved. But this time it weren't Jack and Sally who were dancing, this time he and Kairi shared the dance.

The terrible battle with Xaldin just had been won, and the special night continued as planned. But this time Kairi was there, and the night wasn't in honor for Belle and the beast, this time the night belonged to him and Kairi.

Xibar had faded by at their hands, and they had caught up with Kairi. But this time Kairi and Sora didn't just embraced each other, this time they kissed.

Sora immediately was awake, sitting straight up and breathing a bit heavier then normal. It hadn't exactly been a nightmare, but he still was quite shocked by it. He didn't want to dream about his best friend in such a way. "It means absolutely nothing. After all the stuff you've been through, it's only natural to have weird dreams. And you didn't have dreams like this, because today has been the first normal day since two years." He said to himself, trying to calm his mind with logic. He repeated his words several times until he truly believed him.

His logic reasoning took his uncertain feelings away, but it didn't calm his mind. It was like the dream had been terrifying. He could convince himself everything was safe, he could even cast away all his fear. But no matter what he did, there's not a chance he would sleep again that night.

The rest of the night was spend on failed attempts of falling a sleep again, and desperately keeping the image of Kairi out of his head.

XXX

In another bed on the same island a silver haired boy had similar dreams. Only for him they weren't shocking. Actually they were quiet easing. He had dreamed about Kairi before, but that had been a long time ago. The last time had been in the night before he fought Sora in Hollow Bastion. He had worried that part of him had died, and felt incomplete ever since. But now it was back. When did that happened?

XXX

On one of the tops of a giant white floating castle a hooded figure was reading some lose pages. He seemed amused by what he was reading.

Suddenly a portal appeared behind him. Out of it came the end of a staff pointing at his neck. It didn't seem to scare the hooded figure, his amusement only seemed to grow.

A very angered voice came from the portal "Give me back those reports, or I will kill you." When the figure refused to give any kind of reaction, Maleficent chose to emerge from the portal. "I won't ask again." She bit still pointing her staff at the figure's neck.

The figure looked over his shoulder to face her. "Tell me, are you really willing to fight me just to have you're notes back? Think carefully about it, fighting me might be the last thing you do." His voice easily betrayed that he was still amused.

The witch breathed between her teeth. "I want them back. I don't want to reveal information they hold." Already doubt had invaded her mind. When she had found out that her reports were gone she knew her 'ally' had taken them. And in her rage she was sure she could kill him. But now that confidence had faded. If she didn't allow her arrogance to blind her, she could see that it was very possible that trying to kill him might end up killing her.

The figure continued mocking her. "Could you be more specific? I'm not really sure which information you mean."

If she could experience anger she would have screamed in frustration. But now she just simply pressed the point of her staff to the figures neck, knowing she created a small wound. "I don't want you to know how I obtained my power, or how I wish to obtain more." She hissed.

The figure ignored the wound and burst out in laughter. "You're far too late for that, I already knew that before I even touched your reports. But tell me; If you're so weary for someone to learn about your power. Then why in heavens name make reports about how you obtained it?"

Doubt had taken the better half of her. She decided not to take the chance of fighting him. But physical violence wasn't her only resort. She knew him well enough to hurt him, or at least to humble him. "I had though you would have figured that out by now. People like me record the path they took, and their motivation. So we remember who we are when we face a crossing on our road of our destiny, and won't astray from our original goals. Perhaps if you had recorded your past you wouldn't have betrayed your friend, turned away from you precious Kairi, and let darkness overtake your heart. Do you understand now, Riku?"

The words had the exact effect the witch had hoped for. All the confidence and mocking was kick straight out of the figure. It was replaced by anger, true anger, anger nobodies aren't supposed to feel. The anger didn't change to hatred though, it changed to pain. This time Maleficent had beaten him, this was the first time her words were stronger then his. The figure lowered his head in defeat, Maleficent had won this discussion. She had been right, except from one thing. "That's not my name. I'm Riku's nobody, not Riku himself."

A down ride evil grin covered her face, enjoying the boys humiliation she would mock him as long as she could "Owh did you changed you name? Were you too ashamed to keep it?"

"Yes" he said quietly feeling lower then dirt.

"I'm curious, what is your new name?"

"Xurik"

"Well Xurik, Now we are done arguing over my reports. I've got a mission for you. Consider it as a dept to be paid, for stealing those notes."

He only nodded in agreement. He knew that if would disobey her, she would see him as an enemy. And he didn't want to fight her, if it could be avoided.

Enjoying the thought of Xurik bowing to her will the witch could not stop herself of grinning wickedly. "Now then, I've been planning an invasion of Twilight Town, and I want you to lead it. Find the keyhole and lead the heartless to it."

Depressed as he was this words still succeeded to shock him. Yet he wasn't stupid enough to let Maleficent know it. "No" he said dryly.

The nobodies variation of rage overtook the witch. "You dare to defy me?!"

Acting as calm as he could, he remained his matter-of-fact voice. "I simply can't obey that order. Twilight town simply can't be reached."

The words had no calming affect on her what so ever. "What are you talking about!? The world's path are opened, and besides from the Axel created a portal between Twilight town and this world!?"

Xurik confidence returned with every second Maleficent was enraged, or better said ignorant. It gave him a sense of power to know things she was oblivious of. "Both will not help us reach Twilight Town. Kingdom Hearts has been summoned and closed again. Every time that happens all things done by the power of light or darkness are undone. Except if those things are done by a keyblade. A keyblade is the only thing that can withstand the power of Kingdom Hearts."

This didn't have the effect on the witch Xurik had hoped. He had hoped to surprise the witch whit this, but she wasn't surprised at all. She had long since decided to expect the unexpected from the power of Kingdom Hearts. But she noticed the contradiction in Xurik's words. "That may mean Axel's portal is closed, but that still leaves the world's path. Sora opened them all. So all the worlds are connected again, and can be reached by a vessel, or the power of darkness alone." She stated.

A small laugh escaped from Xurik's hood. "You underestimate your enemy. I thought you were more clever then that. King Mickey was wise enough to seal them again, directly after Kingdom Hearts was closed. He knew the worlds were meant to be isolated from each other."

Maleficent took a calming breath, but she was far from giving up. "I need my heartless to consume world's hearts. I won't stop my attempt on that objective."

Seeing Maleficent like this almost gave Xurik a wonderful feeling. This was far better then informing her, this was bossing her around. "Don't worry. When you obtained the power of one world's heart, you will become able to crush the barriers isolating the worlds."

Xurik's mood didn't go unnoticed by Maleficent. She desperately wanted to attack the boy for his effrontery. But she needed his knowledge. "And how am I supposed to obtain a world's heart when all the worlds are isolated? In case you didn't notice this world has no heart."

"King Mickey failed to see one path left. It isn't a world's path like the other ones. It doesn't grant access for gummiships or other means of space-transportation. But it's still away to reach that world, and it was opened by a keyblade master. My other to be precise."

Maleficent smiled when she realized what Xurik was talking about. "Of course the door. It's in that secret place on Destiny Island, if I'm not mistaken."

It was amusing for him how easily the witch could be manipulated. He would have approached her earlier if he had known that before. "Indeed" was all he needed to say.

"Then go, go and invaded Destiny Island"


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The last day on Destiny Island

The door in the secret cave burst open and a overwhelming stream of dark energy flow out of it. Xurik was the first to step out holding a small heartless in his hand, but soon dozens of dusks followed. Xurik began to stretch himself. Man traveling through that door really took a toll on you.

When he was done stretching an overwhelming feeling of recognition overtook him. This had been the place he had been stuck in for 15 years. The place he had explored every square inch of, in a vain hope of finding something exciting. Yet it didn't feel like the prison it had felt back then. It felt like home. And like a traveler coming home after a long journey he took of his hood, revealing his face.

It was an exact copy from Riku's face, if not for a small difference. Xurik's eyes didn't held even the slightest hint of green, they were blue, blue as the ocean.

These eyes scanned through the room, resting a while on every scribble on the wall. Until they reached a certain scribble. They kept focusing on that scribble, the scribble of his old friends facing each other, exchanging stars.

Jealousy crept inside his mind. When he noticed it, he smiled. Every new emotion he recovered was a joy for him, even the normally unpleasant ones. He could recall he had felt jealousy back when he was part of Riku. But no matter how good your memory is, remembering just isn't the same as feeling. He let out a small sigh when he realized this wasn't the time to enjoy newly rediscovered emotions. Maleficent, being paranoid as she was would suspect him of treachery if he would stay on this world too long. Fortunately he already had a good idea where the keyhole would be. Destroying this world wouldn't take too long.

He turned to his dusks trying to sound as dominate as he could be, before realizing that his voice didn't mattered to the dusks. "I need the keyblade wielders to be distracted for a while. If pure luck grants you a chance to kill one of them, then don't take it. You're allowed to inflict wounds on them, but not so seriously that they can't be healed by a simple curing potion or spell. Now go and wreck some havoc."

The nobodies flew out of the cave, leaving Xurik and the heartless in his hand alone.

XXX

The night already surprised Sora with strange dreams, but it still had many more surprises in store. Out of the blue his keyblade appeared. He directly understood what it meant. In short it meant; trouble. In longer terms it meant; the heartless or heartless had a new leader, and they were attacking Destiny Island. His mind was so surprised and distracted that he only vaguely noticed he was carrying the 'Kingdom Key', and not the 'Ultimate weapon', the weapon he had carried the last time he wield his keyblade.

He jumped out of his bedroom window into the night, not at all bothered by the cold, because he knew from experience that fighting would give him enough warmth. The people of the town were screaming, for their lives. And Sora feared for terrible foes. When he saw his enemy he couldn't help but feel overconfident. Dusks, he had fought terrible heartless and the most powerful nobodies, and now they send dusks to attack his home. Sora prepared himself for an easy battle.

Three dusks jumped to wards him, their sharp arms extend to cut him. Sora took a defensive pose, his keyblade shielding his body. His eye's widened in shock when the arms clashed on his blade. The blows were deflected, but it had taken him great effort to do so. He had planned a counter strike directly after their attack, but he had taken too much time to recover from the blows.

Sora was too experienced, had fought too many monsters, to be surprised by anything in battle, and he wasted no time wondering why blocking those attacks caused him so much trouble. He immediately switched to basic fighting, using his trained eye to spot openings in the enemies' defenses. Again it shocked him how much trouble he had dealing with the dusks. Back in the world that never was he could slice right through with even the bluntest of his weapons. Only now he fully realized he did carried his bluntest weapon; 'the kingdom key', but still he should be able to finish all of the dusks of with his eyes closeted in less then ten seconds. Fortunately it still only took him one blow to destroy a dusk, and so he quickly dealt with the dusks facing him but that didn't brought him much comfort. His sudden lack of strength was far too worrying.

As always the battle continued despite of his worries. More dusks approached, but Riku and Kairi also appeared. This time Sora was truly surprised. He only had seen Kairi wielding a keyblade once, and he had completely forgotten she too was a keyblade master. He also noticed that Riku too was carrying the standard 'kingdom key', instead of his favorite 'way of dawn'. Kairi however carried the flowerlike keyblade she obtained in the world that never was. Riku and Sora wasted no time in greeting each other, not the slightest change in emotion could be detected when they saw each other, both were too experienced to be distracted in battle by seeing friends. Kairi however waved to Sora, he in turn felt quietly for not responding. It was not like he was fully focusing on his enemy anyway. Every time a friend shared a battle field with him, Sora kept an eye on him or her.

The sound of a slash rose above all other sounds of the night and Sora felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He had let his guard down a paid the price. A dusk had sliced his arm in Sora's left shoulder, despite the pain he reacted fast and dealt a fatal blow to his enemy. Sora realized he was lucky, knowing the dusk's flexibility it could just as easily slit his neck. But this wound was a mere scratch for Sora, he could continue.

More focused on fighting now Sora noticed that Kairi was almost fighting at his rate. Her moves were clumsy and less experienced, but still almost just as effective as his or Riku's. The battle continued to last, even with three Keyblade master to fight the dusks. And Sora figured it would last for quiet a while.

XXX

Xurik slightly wondered if sacrificing the dusks as a distraction had been necessary. After all his destination was the island, and the keyblade masters probably were on the main land during the night. Well it wasn't like he really cared. Sacrificing was all dusk were good for. And in case his guesses were wrong he would need the distraction. He chose to walk over the wooden bridge to the small plateau in the ocean, instead of portalling himself on it.

He remembered that the giant black heartless had fought Sora on the plateau the night Riku had opened the door. With his hard obtained knowledge and logic he reasoned that heartless had a reason to be on the plateau, and that the paopu tree; a tree that didn't grew anywhere else on the island, needed some kind of power to live on. Putting those two together he figured this world's keyhole needed to be on the plateau, somewhere near the paopu tree.

In one swing with 'soul eater' he cut through the tree, leaving only stub standing. And as he expected, he found the keyhole in the wood. He shook his head in disapproval and lifted the small heartless to face him. "Well look at this. This world has three keyblade wielders living on it, and none of them took the trouble of locking this world's heart. Aren't they lazy? Well too bad for them, and good for you." He pressed the heartless in the keyhole, and walked away while putting his hood back on. After a few steps he looked back, and shouted. "Have a nice dinner."

XXX

Riku was the first to notice the sudden, subtle change in the air. He was the only one who had witnessed the entire destruction of this world, and he recognized the changes. He turned to Sora, but he realized he knew nothing to say. Nothing what he could say would make any difference. This world was doomed, and there was no way to brace yourself for it. Saying: 'don't be afraid' would be a fool's advice. But Riku was sparred the dilemma of informing Sora and Kairi.

A portal appeared and a hooded figure wearing a black coat walked out of it.

"Organization XIII?!" Sora shouted, confusion and surprise prevented him from saying more.

The figure said nothing. It clicked with his fingers, and the dusks disappeared, retreating. It raised a hand in a small greet and walked back into the portal. Sora shot a blizzard after it. Too many Organization XIII had slipped through his fingers, and he had promised himself to attack one wherever he saw them, and was sure they weren't normal human. Both the blizzard as the figure disappeared into the portal. Sora realized the blizzard wouldn't have much effect on a nobody powerful enough to control dusks and summon portals.

Suddenly the world started to change quicker. This time they all noticed it.

"What's happening" Kairi cried.

"This world is being consumed by the darkness." Riku said completely lacking any emotion in his voice or face. For him there was no need to worry or be scared for something nobody had the power to stop.

"Why?" it hurt both Riku and Sora to see Kairi scarred like this.

This time Sora answered, but his voice was emotionless. The last time his world was destroyed, the adrenalin of fighting heartless blocked out all of his fear or despair. But now there was nothing to fight, and Sora, 'the hero who had seen it all' became scared. "Heartless are consuming the heart of this world." He turned to Riku, the only one who remained calm. "Can't we do something about it? Find the keyhole and lock it or something?"

"It's to late, even if we could lock it this instant. It wouldn't matter. Heartless already have entered the keyhole, there's no way to get them out." Riku took both Kairi's as Sora's hand. Sora looked up and gave him a wondering look. "What?" he said indignant. "Just accept it, this world is doomed. But look at the bright side: at least we'll be together."

Riku acting like this was very calming, and all Sora's fears were pushed away, Kairi became calmer too, although she was still scared. Sora grabbed Kairi's hand, and in a circle they awaited their fate. Whatever would happen, nothing would be able to separate them, not now, not ever. Just like they promised.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5; backstabbing

Xurik stumbled out of the portal. He hadn't expected an attack, and so Sora's blizzard had caught him of guard. The strength of the attack was even more surprising for him. He had thought Sora to be almost powerless with such an underdeveloped keyblade. Of course the blizzard wasn't enough to wound him in anyway, but it still hurt. He took a small nip of one of the healing potions he always carried with him, and the pain disappeared. It was a waste actually, using a healing potion on such an small injury, but he didn't want to look hurt when his 'mistress', as Maleficent would no doubt thought of herself by now, arrived. Looking weak now might be fatal.

He hadn't even finished that thought before a portal appeared in front of him. Maleficent stepped out of it, smiling as wickedly as ever. "I wanted to thank you, for letting that heartless devour Destiny Island for me."

He had trouble adjusting himself to speak to Maleficent. He had felt recognition, jealousy and he had smiled. For his standards it had been a very emotional day. Making himself cold and distant again, in order to hold a conversation with someone like Maleficent, took him great effort. After a short silence he regained his normal state of mind. "Your welcome."

Her wicked smile broadened even more. "But I've got a small problem. Perhaps you can solve it for me?" She waited for a reaction but she didn't get one, so she continued. "Thanks to you, my heartless is giving me that world's energy, every second more and more of Destiny Island disappears, and I grow more powerful."

The evil pleasure could be read of her face, but Xurik chose to play along with it. "And you're bothered with that?"

"No no, that's not the problem, but you she. With all that power there's no longer any doubt about me crushing you in battle, so why shouldn't I just kill you." The true meaning of wickedness was resembled in her face, pure evil was shown in every part of her when she said that, but Xurik didn't seem worried at all.

A sigh escaped from Xurik's lips, and he briefly wondered how someone so cunning as Maleficent could be so ignorant "Do you really don't know the answer on that?" he asked as demeaning as he could. "I thought you wished to open Kingdom Hearts, and you knew the ways how to do so." Maleficent's wish to kill hadn't shocked him at all. After all the only reason for him not trying to kill her, was because he wasn't sure if he would win the fight. He figured she felt the same way. The alliance they formed was nothing more then a 'stop firing', being her accomplice was the price he had to pay for that.

Questioning her knowledge was a grave insult for her, but she was having too much pleasure from the idea of killing Xurik to be bothered with it. "Of course I know the three ways too Kingdom Hearts." Just to prove it she started to name them. "The hearts of the pure; gather the seven princess of heart, The hearts of many; gather a countless amounts of hearts, The hearts of the worlds; bind seven world's hearts into the realm of darkness."

Knowing Maleficent wouldn't attack him until the conversation was over, Xurik felt save to mock her. "Very good, you're less ignorant then I thought you would be. But you do realize the first two ways never are going to work again?"

Xurik had succeeded, Maleficent was shocked, no longer as confident of herself as she was three seconds ago. "Why wouldn't that work again. The last time people tried them they worked perfectly. I opened Kingdom Hearts with the hearts of the pure, and the organization did the hearts of many."

Arrogance, that was her weakness. She rightfully believed she was powerful beyond most people's imagination, but she made the mistake to underestimate her enemies because of it. "Really you should become wiser, if you wish to obtain Kingdom Hearts. You'll never succeed to gather the seven princesses again. First of Kairi is a keyblade master now, and constantly guarded by two other masters. It'll be very hard to kidnap her again. But even more important, Jasmine is befriended with a free genie, she will be wished back the very instant you take her away. Nor will you succeed to gather the huge amounts of hearts to follow organizations XIII example. The keyblade masters won't fall for the same trick twice, and will avoid the slaughter of heartless as best as they can."

Briefly Maleficent was taken aback by the boy's words, but she returned to her normal arrogance way of acting quickly. "Still, there are many worlds left to devour. I only need seven to open kingdom hearts, I could easily waste one on killing you."

"No there not, there only are seven worlds left to devour. Six if you don't count Destiny Island. The rest of the worlds hearts are locked, and so can't be devoured."

First the witch was shocked at what Xurik had told her, but then she smiled again. "Eight."

"What?" Xurik asked confused.

"There are eight worlds Sora didn't lock." She started to count the worlds on her fingers. "Destiny Island, The Beast's Castle, The Land of the Dragon, The Pride Lands, Port Royal, Twilight Town, Master Yen Sing's Tower and Disney Castle." She burst out in insane laughter. "Eight worlds! That means I can waste one world's heart to kill you!"

Only a nobody could remain so calm under such a situation. "You're right. Sora left eight worlds unlocked, but you forget he isn't the only keyblade master. Mickey was smart enough to lock his own world directly after he obtained his keyblade. Which means there are only seven world's hearts you can obtain, and so you can't waste one on fighting me or something else."

Instead of defeat hatred was displayed on her face. "That's means I can't reach Kingdom Hearts at all! You said that I would need the power of at least one world's heart to crush the barriers isolating the worlds. You tricked me!"

Xurik was truly bewildered, and it was shown in his voice. "Tell me are you really so ignorant, I thought you studied the worlds and the barriers isolating them carefully."

"Watch your mouth, you might want to be more polite to someone who's on the point of killing you." The witch hissed.

Instead of becoming anything remotely related to scarred, Xurik only became tired. Informing Maleficent had been amusing for a while, but explaining everything to her was truly tiresome. "When one world is devoured, a power vacuum is created. That power vacuum causes the worlds barriers to be weakened. Someone with power like ours can then easily break to them."

Finally the witch calmed again. "So Kingdom Hearts is still within my reach?"

"As long as you don't waste energy or power on fighting me, it is."

There was a short silence, what did you say to each other when you just had a discussion about whether killing the other or not? Finally Maleficent spoke again. "Are you still willing to be my ally?"

Xurik took of his hood, he wanted Maleficent to be able to read the hatred on his face. "Let me make one thing clear." He spoke slowly, putting more hatred in his voice then any nobody before him. "I never wanted to be your ally, in fact there just a few things I want more then to see you die. But if I wouldn't be your ally I would be your enemy, and you would send hordes of heartless and nobodies to destroy me. I wouldn't be able to achieve my goals if you would do that. So therefore I have to serve you, so I can move without your servants bothering me."

The answer was satisfying enough for the witch. She hadn't expected anything less hostile then this. But there was now way on responding to this. "I have another order for you. I wanted to take the Beast out, last time he almost formed a thread for me. Someone who can travel from world to world without any use of darkness or a vessel is too strong to be ignored. I want you to go to his world, and let it be devoured. Make sure he won't survive it."

"No"

Maleficent couldn't scold at him, right after express their wishes to kill each other that was just impossible. "Why?"

"I've got my own business on the moment. I think some interesting persons have arrived in Twilight Town."

Maleficent didn't dare to oppose.

XXX

It was the most silent night in all of there lives. There was a terrible storm, but the wind didn't make any noise. They had fought, but the sounds of battle had left along with there enemies. People had cried and screamed in panic, but all of them were gone now, disappeared along with other pieces of the world. Now all that what's left on the world were Sora, Kairi and Riku, and they felt it too. They felt the storm pulling them in oblivion, or whatever fate might have in store for them.

Riku was the only one who wasn't scarred, Sora and Kairi feared the worst. Darkness or oblivion couldn't scare them, but the thought of being separate from each other was more then they could handle. Only Riku remembered the silent promise they made to each other next to the paopu tree, only he trusted his and his friend's hearts enough not to fear such fate.

The storm grew even stronger, and no longer could the friends resist it. They were lifted into the air, and the wind carried them to the island. Sora realized that he was being sucked to the same place as two years ago, right above the small plateau in the ocean. The dark vortex reach their sight. All of the world's matter was sucked into it, and they were no exception. Still holding each others hands they drown in it's darkness.

True darkness different then the simple absent of light was all that surrounded them, but it didn't scare them. Neither Sora nor Kairi understood were they suddenly drew their courage from, but the thought of being separated just seemed unrealistic. Something gave them strength to have faith. Perhaps they just realized that they just couldn't be separated, that no matter what they would always be together. Because they held each other in their hearts, and nothing could ever change them. Riku smiled when he noticed that Kairi and Sora had realized that too. He had learned it a long time ago, when he had wandered the worlds after he had defeated Roxas. He had learned that his friends gave him strength, even when they were not with him, and that their hearts were connected.

Suddenly light shone, it didn't pierce through the darkness, but they could still feel it. The light became stronger, and eventually the darkness became to fade, until it had completely disappeared and only a blinding white light remained.

And then it stopped. The light and darkness both became normal again, and they felt solid ground under their feet. They looked around, and they all recognized it. Traverse Town.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A hooded figure walked through the dark desolated first district of twilight town. He stopped before a small house with a green door. There was a poster paste on the door reading:

"To all who may read this. We, Pinocchio and me, Geppetto are living in the moogle factory (the big building in the second district). We are happy to meet anybody, so please head there."

Xurix smiled under his hood. He had been right about the puppet-boy and his father being in Traverse Town. Obviously their connection with Monstro had been very weak. And Pinokio being a carefree young boy his home probably was the last place he laughed. Geppetto's heart would obviously lie where Pinokio felt home.

But being the only person living on this world had obviously made them fee lonely. Which caused their attempted to make contact with everybody who visited the town. This would make his search for them a lot easier. Maleficent was lucky, she wouldn't have to wait long for him to finish here, and deliver the world's heart of Beast's Castle.

He created green fire in his hand, a trick he copied from Maleficent, and burned the poster. He didn't want anybody to follow him, and certainly not the three keyblade masters he could feel the close presence from. In the light of the flames he saw that there were many other posters posted on the walls. "Damm" he cursed from under his breath. He couldn't just burn all the posters without making the fire reveal his presence. It meant he had too hurry, and he sprinted towards the second district.

XXX

"Wow Déjà vu." Sora said when he examined the exact same back alley, as he had appeared in after the first time his island disappeared.

"Sora!" Kairi screamed.

"What?" he replied surprised and worried.

"You're hurt!"

"Huh, oh this." Sora said casually, while he touched the gasp in his shoulder. "I almost forgot about it."

"Trying to be the tough guy?" Riku teased, but he had to agree with Sora. That cut barley was a scratch for him and Sora, for Kairi however it looked like a live threatening wound.

Sora shot him a glare. That hypocrite! Calling him a though guy while he was the one always acting all high and mighty. Sora jumped a foot into the air in shock, when he suddenly felt Kairi's warm soft hands on his shoulder.

"Don't move that much, I won't get it right if you do." She closed her eyes in focus, and a soft green light emitted from her hands, closing the wound without leaving a scar.

Riku was completely confused by it. "Where did you learn that?"

"Oh, Aeris taught me that. When Sora left me behind to get Xeanorth out of you, and lock Kingdom Hearts."

"That was two years ago! And you only had less then a day to learn it. Wow I'm impressed." Riku said in amazement.

"Thank you" Kairi giggled.

"Well anyway let's get out of this alley." Sora said, feeling slightly annoyed, but not knowing why.

After they got out of the alley, Sora was face astonished when he looked over the empty square. "Wow, it's completely deserted." Every time he had visited Twilight Town, there always had been some people in the first district, but now nobody was here, nor were there any lights on.

"Well I guess that's a good thing." Riku said.

"Why?"

"Twilight Town is a substitute world, the only people living there are the people who were driven of their own world. If nobody lives here it probably means all other worlds are still okay." Riku answered. The time he had spent with Ansem hadn't gone to waste. Ansem had taught him everything he knew.

"Then how are we going to get out of here?" Kairi asked almost desperately.

Sora aimed a fire spell on the nearest streetlight to shed some light on the dark district

"Ey look at this." Sora pointed on the poster pasted on the wall of the item shop, now visible thanks to the light he had led.

"To all who may read this. We, Pinocchio and me, Geppetto are living in the moogle factory the big building in the second district. We are happy to meet anybody, so please head there." Kairi read out loud. "Pinocchio isn't that, that living puppet?"

"Yeah, and Geppetto is his father. He used to make me all these gummiships, perhaps he can give us one." Sora answered enthusiastically.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Riku said. "Let's head over there!"

XXX

An excited voice came from out of the moogle factory. "Is it ready Father? Is it ready?"

"Yes my boy, we did it! The ship is ready, now we can leave this empty world!" An older voice, but not less enthusiastic said.

Xurik walked in the factory. "Well I guess you have to postpone your departure for a while."

"Who are you?" Pinocchio asked curiously, but not unkindly

"It's one of those black coats people. O I haven't heard anything good about your people" Geppetto answered with more backbone then Xurik had expected from a friendly old man.

"Don't worry old man, I won't harm you. Just let me have a look on that puppet you call your son."

Geppetto extended one arm to shield Pinocchio, and put his other hand in his pocket, pulling a small device from it.

"What's" But Xurik didn't get any time to finish his question. A shockwave erupted from the gadget knocking him of his feet. With a hard bang he smacked against the wall.

"Now don't you go and get all violent and force me to do that again."

Pinocchio was completely confused about the way Geppetto acted, he had never seen his father raise a hand against anybody, and innocent as he was he didn't understood his father did it to protect him. "Father don't hurt him!" He yelled while he pulled the arm shielding him.

Xurik saw the opening, and with a speed too great for Geppetto he grabbed the puppet, and jumped on one of the high machines standing against the wall. "Don't worry old man, I return him, when I'm done." His reassurance didn't had much effect, since he created a small dark vortex on Pinocchio's chest and plunged his arm into it.

Pinocchio screamed in fear, and as fate would have it, Sora, Kairi and Riku burst into the factory.

"You again!" Sora yelled.

Xurik voice was surprised. "How can you tell I'm the same person who destroyed your island, when I'm wearing this concealing clothing?"

"You just said it." Riku answered calmly.

Sora didn't give Xurik the time to respond. "Who are you anyway!?"

Xurik let out a bitter laugh. "You call my kind nobodies don't you?"

"Yea, what about it?" Sora answered aggressively.

"Well how can I be a nobody, and be someone at the same time?" He asked sadly.

"Then tell us who you were." Riku kept his calm, almost emotionless voice.

Again Xurik laughed. "Please tell me Riku. How can you live with yourself, if you believe the past has anything to do with who we are today? If you would believe the past decides who we're then you are a power-hungry, evil, darkness utilizing servant of Maleficent."

Xurik words had hit target. "My past isn't any of you're concern!" he retorted hurt, and angrily.

"Then why would my past be yours?"

"Let Pinocchio go!" Kairi yelled demandingly. Sora and Riku both were surprised by her outburst, they couldn't remember the last time she had been so angrily.

"See that? You could learn from here? Just like her, you should be concerned about the person in danger, instead of being angered by your enemy." Xurik shot to Sora and Riku before focusing on Kairi. "Don't worry, I'm not hurting him, he just thinks this is scary." He turned to Pinocchio. "Don't be scared, I'm just taking a look on your heart, it won't hurt."

Pinocchio seemed to calm down, and noticed the look of plain on his father's face. "Don't worry Father I guess I'm okay." From this angel he could see an almost friendly kind smile under Xurik's hood.

"See nothing scary about it, and I'm already done." He gently put Pinocchio down. Now that is strange, your heart is completely normal. Perhaps a bit brighter and more innocent then most hearts, but nothing out of the ordinary. Tell me, were did you get it?"

"The blue fairy gave me it." Pinocchio answered cheerfully, no longer feeling afraid for the hooded figure.

"You mean Merryweather, one of the three fairies of sleeping beauty?" Xurik asked bewildered.

"No another one."

"Can you summon here for me?" He tried to sound as kind as he could be.

"No, She only comes when I'm in trouble."

For a while Xurik considered to 'get Pinocchio in trouble'. It would be really easy. Considering he could create magical ever burning fire, and Pinocchio being of wood. But he doubted the fairy would tell him anything, if he would attack her protégé. It took him a while to realize that magic alone couldn't create a heart. "Old man." He turned to Geppetto. "Did you make this puppet differently from your other toys?"

Still fearing for his son's life Geppetto answered nervously. "No, I put love and hard work in everything I make."

"So you put love in it, that's interesting. Normally an unborn child is giving a heart, because of the love between two people, or the love between the unborn child and one of the parents. When that love is absent, Kingdom Hearts gives the child a heart, because it won't allow the birth of heartless children. But if what you say is true you can create a heart with just love and magic."

"What's the deal with you and hearts anyway?" Sora asked still quiet aggressively.

"Like any nobody I'm heartless, is it that strange that I want a heart to complete myself again?"

"Just cut the act! Without a heart you can't feel longing! You can't miss not having a heart, because you need a heart to miss!" Sora's aggression was alien for Kairi, she never expected him to act like this.

"But I can remember, can I? I can remember that joy felt great, that hate made me angry, that love made me feel alive and the list goes on. Nobodies copy feelings with their memories of it, but the memories aren't enough. They want experience feelings again, because they remember feeling felt good." And with that Xurik thought to said enough. He carefully tossed Pinocchio in his father's arms, and created a portal to leave.

Just like last time Sora shot a blizzard at him, but this time Xurik was prepared. The blizzard did hit him, but now he had braced himself for it. Directly after he shot a shockwave towards Sora smacking him against the wall, however he wasn't done yet. He extended his arm, and spread his fingers. Blue balls of energy appeared around Sora's limps, pinning him against the wall. With his other hand he created a ball of green flames, ready to be thrown, and destroy it's target. "You want to fight?" he said angrily.

Riku answered that question for him. He jumped into the air with his keyblade in his hand and hit Xurik's extended arm with all the strength he had. His attack didn't even caused Xurik to lose his grip on Sora

Xurik laughed. "A keyblade, truly magnificent weapons, they evolve at a faster rate then their wielder. Giving it's master more strength, stamina and skill then he or she actually has, the downside is that they have to store that power in keychains." His wicked smile was concealed by his hood. "Those keychains can be stolen, and without those keychains the keyblade is just an ordinary weapon, just as powerful as its wielder." He made the flames in his hand to disappear, and grabbed something from the inside of his coat. A collection of keychains, too many to recognize, but Sora figured it were all the keychains he ever had, and the keychain of Riku's blade 'Way of dawn'.

"Were did you get those!?" Sora yelled.

"Remember all those dusks that attacked you after the last time you defeated Xemnas? Those were ordered by me too steal them, and one of them succeeded. So now you're quiet harmless to me. Though it's true that gained your own strength, stamina and skill from fighting all the enemies you've encountered, but without these keyblade that isn't enough to harm me." He laughed, but he wasn't done mocking "Here, as a sign of good will." He tossed Oath keeper and monochrome on the ground. "And don't think that those will be enough, this time I spared you next time I'll kill you." He lied, sounding as dark as he could. "You can wander the worlds freely, just stay away from Twilight Town, and seeing as I'm going to destroy it Beast's Castle. Now I really hope you're not so stupid to try and flow me." He bit out the last part while, he turned away and disappeared into the portal.

Riku walked over the keychains lying on the ground, and picked them up.

"Riku don't sink so low. We're not accepting those, he is mocking us with them." Sora demanded

"Yeah so. I don't know about you, but I had trouble fighting those dusks back on the island, and we'll face more powerful foes then those. I'm not going to ignore this advantage just, because it means I demean myself with it." He replied slightly offended, and he tossed Oath keeper towards Sora. He accepted it reluctantly.

"So it was true what he said, you two aren't strong enough to find him without better keychains." Kairi asked worried. She had felt so save knowing she was in the presence of two powerful heroes, but now those heroes didn't seem so powerful anymore.

"Yeah it was. You can store power into a keychain. I did that with the one I gave to you." Riku answered, feeling slightly guilty for breaking Kairi's illusion of safety.

"Now hold it, all that rubbish about keyblades, keychains and hearts and stuff like that. Who was that villain, and what did he want from my son, and are there more people like him?"

Riku answered sadly "Our guesses are as good as yours, but I don't think they will come here again, they have no reason to."

"Well that's settles it." Geppetto said conclusively, sadder and kinder he continued. "I'm sorry Pinocchio, but going to other worlds seems far too dangerously, we're staying right here."

"But Father."

"No buts son, I'm sorry, but it's just too dangerous." A little bit tired he continued. "Guess we made that ship for nothing."

Sora shot up"A Ship, a gummiship, you guys have a gummiships? Could we please have it?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Didn't you hear what the figure said; he would kill you, if you follow him."

"We can't worry about that, we can't just let him destroy worlds." Sora said.

"Sora's right, and beside we've been on dangerous journeys before. I'm positive we'll life." Riku stated.

"Well if you folks really want it, I suppose you can have our ship. Just follow me." Geppetto lead them to the roof of the factory, where the quiet big rocket like gummiships was stationed. With a small bash on the ship's plating Geppetto caused to open a previously unnoticeable door to open.

The three quickly said their thanks, and went inside the ship. And they blasted off, of to Beast's Castle, and a new quest.

* * *

A/N chapter 7 will be released first thing in the morning.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The dark vortex and the figure stepping out of it were almost lost in the darkness of the night. But Beast's castle was clearly visible. 'To love and be loved in return, before the last petal of the rose falls.' Xurik smiled when he thought about that phrase. Just after finding out he needed love for his heart he had a target who needed love almost just as bad as he did.

Unfortunately the beast had proven to be very slow at the process of getting love. Xurik however knew a way to speed things up.

XXX

"Sora let me flight"

"No"

"Come on. I wanna fly the gummiship. And besides who made you the captain?"

"Riku, neither you nor Kairi have ever flown a space craft before. If I would let you guys fly, we would probably crash." Sora reasoned

"You worry too much. You also learned to fly without killing Goofy and Donald during the process. If you didn't screw up, then why would I?"

"So just because I can do it. You can do it too?"

"Basically yes."

"You're being an ass."

"No you're being an ass."

Kairi sighed and suddenly bent over Sora reaching out to the rear. Sora wanted to protest but was taken aback by how nice Kairi's hair smelled. Kairi pushed a big button with auto-pilot on it. "So now neither of you can fly. Are you happy?" Boys will be boys.

Sora and Riku looked at each other for a moment, and then started laughing. 

"Sorry for calling you an ass." Sora apologized.

"Yeah, me too." Riku returned.

"Come on. I'll teach you to fly the ship. You were right it's not that hard."

Kairi smiled realizing that after two years of adventuring nothing had really changed. "Well it will have to be for another time. We all ready arrived."

Sora saw she was right and started landing procedures.

XXX

Xurik looked around Beast's room, and was slightly surprised. When you saw the room you would never guess it belonged to a big monster with huge claws. It was very well kept without any pieces of damaged interior. The Beast must have been very calm lately. But Xurik was more surprised about seeing the rose completely unguarded, right for the taking. One would expect that such an important object would be looked out after. Well the Beast would soon feel the consequences for his neglect.

Xurik summoned a heartless in one hand while holding the rose in the other. "Find the keyhole." He said while wondering if his orders would have any effect on the creature actions. The heartless however seemed to understand, at least he jumped out of Xurik's hand and hopped out of the room. A second later dozens other shadow heartless emerged from the dark corners of the room and followed.

XXX

The playful sound of a soft fire burning in the fireplace echoed through the ballroom. The Beast had placed two comfortable chairs near the wall, and he and Bell were both enjoying a good book. Granted the ballroom wasn't the best place to do so. But it had always been their mutual room. And lately Beast had appreciated Bell presence more and more. Therefore the Beast had redecorated the room, for more daily activities.

Out of nowhere several heartless appeared. Immediately they recognized Bell for what she was, 'a princess of hearth' and they attacked her. The Beast however didn't give them a chance to even touch her. His sharp claws ripped right through the shadow heartless. But heartless never flee for powerful foes, they only attack them more ferociously. Many more heartless appeared and started fighting the Beast.

XXX

Sora, Riku and Kairi had just entered when they heard the Beast's mighty roar echoing through the castle. Sora immediately ran towards to the ballroom, knowing that whenever the Beast roared like that someone needed help. Whether it was the Beast himself, or the people around him. Riku and Kairi soon followed.

The trio burst in the ball room keyblades drawn ready for battle. The heartless all stopped for a moment when they sensed the three keyblade masters presence, and then they attacked again. Now focusing on five targets instead of one.

The power balance in the battle was now completely disrupted, but it would only be in favor the heroes for a short moment. Countless heartless many of them of more powerful kind then mere shadows appeared. It was very rare that there was such a target for the heartless: Three keyblade master, one mighty beast, and two princesses of heart. These combined attracted an incredible number of heartless.

"Riku you guard Bell and Kairi, Beast you and I'll fight the heartless!" Sora yelled when he saw the number of heartless

"Sora I don't need Riku guarded, I can protect myself!" Kairi yelled back angrily. Riku however despite of being irritated by being ordered around by Sora ignored Kairi's comment, and did what he was told. This was not a battle in which trivial feeling could play any part.

Sora chopped, sliced and slashed through many heartless while defending himself from their attacks. And many times he was glad he had taken the Keychain the Organization XIII member had given him. If he had fought this battle like he fought the dusks in Destiny Island then he might not have survived.

Riku too was thankful for the keychains. He had known that sooner or later he would need them in battle, but he had not expected it would be so soon.

XXX

Somewhere in the under the castle, Xurik wandered through the dungeons. He had started to look systematically for the key whole, since he had no idea whatsoever where it could be. But now he felt the darkness of the great number of heartless in the ballroom. He had not summoned such an amount, and he could see no reason for Malificent to send them. Reluctantly he decided he needed to go to the ballroom. His original plan was to first find the keyhole, then put a heartless in it and then mess around with the beast a bit. But he could no longer ignore the Beast, not when he attracted such an amount of heartless.

Sighing in reluctance he opened a portal and stepped inside it.

XXX

One the balcony in the ball room a dark vortex emerged. Xurik stepped out and looked down on the battle. He was enraged when he saw the keyblade masters. He had ordered them especially not to travel to here, and he had honestly thought they would they would listen.

Seeing that this amount of heartless would only be a hindrance, and a threat to all the five in the ballroom he gathered all his dark power and bellowed. "BEGONE!!!!" To his relieve the heartless obeyed, and disappeared. "Didn't I tell you specifically not to come here? If I hadn't called back those heartless you probably wouldn't have survived the battle."

"Shut up." Sora shot back. "Why should we listen to you?!"

"Because you'll get killed if you don't! Whether it's by me or by heartless or by nobodies!" Damm Sora proved to be a lot more stupid then he remembered.

Completely calm Riku joined and finished the discussion. "As a nobody you can't possibly understand, but when you tell us you're going to destroy a world. We need to defend it, no matter the risks."

Wasting no further time to deal with Sora's comments he grabbed the rose and pulled of one the petals.

The beast let out a grunt in horror, and Sora yelled. ""What are you doing?! Any petal that you'll pull will decrease the time Beast has to make Bell fall in love with him!"

"Beast, what it Sora talking about?" Bell asked.

Xurik laughed "He didn't tell you? I would never think that Beast was tactful enough no to tell you." Somewhat amused he continued "In order for the curse to be lifted the Beast needs to.. "

"Love and be loved in return." The Beast finished shamefully.

"If you knew that, then how could you diminish his chances to make Bell love him!?" Sora yelled furiously.

Xurik only laughed again. "First of all I'm a nobody. I assume you expect me not to do things because it might make me feel guilty. You forget I can't feel guild. Second and most important of all, you think that the curse is not yet lifted because Bell doesn't love the Beast. But she already does."

"How would a nobody like you know?" Riku asked, not angrily like Sora, rather just curiously.

It was amazing how a nobody could sound so amused. "Kairi do you love me?"

"What!?" Riku, Kairi and Sora exclaimed at the same time.

"I'm asking you if you love me. I'm not asking whether or not you're in love with me, or if you like me, or think I'm a nice person. I'm asking you if you love me in general."

"Huh?" was the only response he got.

He sighed. "If you could help me obtain a heart and become happy, without hurting someone in the progress, would you do so?"

Kairi hesitated for a moment, then she answered. "Yes"

"Even if you needed to suffer for it?"

Again she hesitated and again she answered. "Yes"

"Just like I expected." He paused a moment before he continued. "Many say that love is to special to describe, that it can not be expressed in human words. But the definition of it is actually quite simple. 'To want someone to be happy, even if it would cause you suffering.' The Beast has already several people feel that way about him. "

"Again, how does a nobody like you know?" Riku asked.

"For the same reason I knew Kairi loved me. Princesses of heart love everybody who they meet. That's what makes them special, that's what makes them unique, that's what makes their hearts filled with light." He explained with a matter of fact voice. "The Beast has at least two people who love him. And seeing Sora's reactions I would say he loved him too. The Beast just doesn't love anyone back. The things he has done for Bell might have looked to be actions of love, but he just did them because he wanted Bell to be with him."

"Shut up you don't know anything." The Beast said with a deep and dark voice.

"Hmmm, then proof he wrong." Xurik started pulling the petals one by one.

"No" everyone yelled.

For the third time Sora shot a blizzard towards Xurik. But Xurik countered the spell with a simple gesture.

The Beast became more enraged with every petal pulled, until his anger overtook him became berserk.

Xurik had thought none of them could have harmed him from where he stood. But the Beast had reached him with just one mighty leap, Xurik jumped down on the first floor to gain some distance, but the Beast quickly followed and reached out to him with his claws. Xurik dogged and dropped the rose. Leaving only one petal on it. The Beast continued to attack ferociously, and Xurik had to move back to evaded his attacks. Until he became tired of it. He had not wanted to kill the Beast, because he wouldn't be able to learn from him anymore, but this had gone far enough.

In this berserk mode the Beast was full of openings, it didn't cost Xurik any effort to find an opportunity to attack. He closed the distance between him and the beast, and plunged 'Soul eater' deep in the beast.

"No" Bell and Kairi cried.

When Xurik pulled his blade back the Beast fell down to his knees. With such a wound his berserk mode couldn't last longer, and he calmed down. Xurik took some distance and sat down. He would watch the beast dying, perhaps in the final moment of his life the beast would be able to teach him something.

There was a reason why this world was called 'The Beast's Castle'. The entire world belonged to the Beast. He was its lord and master. With the Beast weak and dying, the world was vulnerable, and its heart was exposed. The keyhole showed it self, and may it be by chance or may it t be fate, it was located on the ballroom floor just behind Xurik.

Only Xurik and Riku noticed. Both reacted quickly. Xurik summoned a heartless, and Riku shot the beam from his keyblade to lock the keyhole. Xurik dropped the heartless above the keyhole, and the beam Riku had shot raced towards the keyhole only with Xurik in its path. The heartless reached the keyhole first.

Xurik let out a laugh, but it was cut short. The beam Riku had shot to lock the keyhole had continued its path, and had gone right through Xurik, wounding him badly.

Xurik realized he needed to flee. With such a wound he wasn't able to face three keyblade masters. He created a portal and stumbled in it.

Bell ran towards the Beast kneeling down before him.

"Beast please don't die, please don't leave me." She begged while tears where running down her face.

The Beast took a heavy breath. He was strangely calm. Death wasn't such a big deal for him. More then once he had thought that being death might be better then to continue this cursed life. Now he would finally be at peace. But Bell was crying so much, begging him to stay alive. Seeing her like that as beautiful as she was he realized that he wanted for her to be happy. If he needed to be forever cursed in order for her to be happy, then so be it.

A bright light emitted from the Beast and his fangs shrunk to normal tooth, his claws became normal hands again, his fur disappeared and all other things that made him a beast returned to human features. The curse was lifted, and his wound had healed wit it.

Meanwhile the world was still being devoured by the darkness.

"Come on we need to go." Riku said attempting to keep his voice clear of any emotion.

"But we need take Bell and the Beast with us. Well he isn't a Beast anymore, but that's beside the point." Kairi stated.

"We can't." Riku responded as calmly as he could.

"What are you talking about?" Kairi cried "There is plenty of room for two extra passengers."

"And what about the rest of the people who live on this world? We can't take them all with us. There is nothing we can do for them. Okay?" Riku had tried to hide his pain, but it could now be clearly heard in his voice.

Kairi wanted to protest, but Sora placed his hand on her shoulder. "He's right, there is nothing we can do."

"But what's going to become of them?" Kairi sobbed.

"Most of them will be swallowed into the realm of darkness, some of them will reach twilight town. But if we restore Kingdom Hearts, then they will all return." Sora answered.

Without anymore words they got inside the gummiship, and left. With pain as well as a promise to make everything right in their hearts.


End file.
